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Skimm for August 9th

Skimm'd after learning SQL basics

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"The Pope and Obama" – The Weeknd's dream buyers of a new sneaker line that he designed. Keep wishing on those stars, boy.

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RED ALERT

The Story

What's going on?

Yesterday, a classified doc was leaked to the press. It says that US intelligence thinks North Korea has created a nuclear warhead small enough to fit in a missile. This comes shortly after the country tested out missiles that could reach the US. It's unclear whether the country's tested its new warhead just yet. Or whether its missiles can re-enter the Earth's atmosphere without falling apart. But this is a big step forward for the North's nuclear program, which happened faster than experts thought. And comes just days after the UN hit the country with new sanctions.

So what now?

President Trump said that if North Korea keeps threatening the US, he's ready to unleash "fire and fury like the world has never seen." It's not clear exactly what he means by this or what would cross the line. But hours later, North Korea said that it's considering an attack on the US territory of Guam – a major strategic position in the Pacific for the US military.

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North Korea says it's doing all this to protect itself. But with back and forth threats from President Trump and Kim Jong-un, things are starting to look more and more unpredictable.

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REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when your laptop is on low battery during a presentation…

Need a Plan B. Yesterday, it came out that the Trump administration is looking into privatizing the war in Afghanistan. This war has been going on for nearly 16 years, making it one of America's longest conflicts. Its goal is to wipe out the Taliban, an extremist group that's connected to al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. In recent years, the US has been going over its troops on the ground list with wite-out to try and cut it down. At this stage in the war, the troops are mainly there to help train local forces. But the Taliban just won't quit. So the Pentagon said 'let's send some more in there.' But President Trump wants to try a new plan. It involves hiring a private military contractor that'd send in its own people to get the job done. The plan was proposed by Erik Prince, founder of the Blackwater security firm and brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. He says it would save the US gov tens of billions of dollars a year. But critics – including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis – say outsourcing this kind of effort could lead to a lot of legal complications (see: Blackwater's role in Iraq).

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What to say when you wear a sweater because you forgot to check the temp first...

Feeling a bit warm. So is planet Earth. Earlier this week, a draft climate change report by 13 federal agencies was leaked to the press. The highlights? US temps have been rising rapidly in recent decades. Thanks to human-produced greenhouse gas emissions that come from things like cars and factories. And extreme heat events (think: heat waves) are starting to happen more on the reg. Even if humans immediately cut all greenhouse gas emissions, global temps would still be on the highway to the danger zone. So there's that. The feds are required to put together this sort of climate report every four years. And the Trump administration has to sign off on it before it's published. But President Trump and EPA Chief Scott Pruitt have both said they're not so sure humans are to blame for climate change. So some scientists are worried the report will get more than a few tweaks first. Hence, the leak.

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What to say when all your meetings run on time...

Pleasant surprise. Yesterday, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors both put out earnings that were way better than expected. For several years, these brands haven't been bringing it. That's because they've relied too much on department store sales – which cheapened the brands by offering too many steep discounts. Putting a sizable dent in their bottom lines. Now they're bringing luxe back by packing up their stuff at department stores and offering fewer promos. And it looks like it's working. Who else is trying on a new strategy? Disney. Yesterday, the company said it's pulling all of its content off Netflix by 2019 and launching its own streaming services. One will be for ESPN, which Disney owns. The other will be for both Disney and Pixar movies and shows. Princess and chill.

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What to say when you get out of line because it's too long...

Changed my mind. This week, the Justice Department switched its stance on an Ohio voting rights case. Ohio takes people off the state's official voter roll if they don't vote, or respond to confirmation notices after six years. Supporters say this preserves election integrity by making sure people aren't still on the list who've moved away or died. Critics say it unfairly targets people – especially poor and minority voters – who aren't as active at the polls. Last year, civil rights groups sued Ohio over the policy, saying it violates the federal voter registration laws. The Justice Dept under President Obama said 'agreed.' And after a lot of legal back and forth, Ohio appealed the case to the Supreme Court. Now, the Justice Dept is singing a different tune. It says Ohio's rules are just fine, since the state gives people a heads up several years before it actually removes anyone from voter lists. The Supremes will weigh in during the next term.

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The temperature your room should be to get the best sleep. Fahrenheit...not celsius. The top layers of this mattress are specifically designed to help out by keeping you cool throughout the night. Chill out (with a discount) here.

SKIMM FAVES

theSkimm started from a couch. Now Skimm A and Skimm B are thinking it might be time for an upgrade. So for their next couch, they're designing their own. Plus, your new Netflix buddy will be delivered right to your door, fo' free.*

SKIMM GIFT

You want to make the most of the end of your summer. We want to send you and your BFFs on a vacay to Turks and Caicos. We've got your hotel covered, plus we'll give you some cash money for the flight. Enter here.